Tech Paintball Help!

Hi well there is this paintball shop down the road that is in need of employees so I went down and they said I need to know how to fix almost every gun on the market. So I wanted to know if maybe there is an article I could read on the internet to learn about everything so I could work with my favorite hobby? =D

Been Playing Paintball for 2 years.... Also recommend me a New Gun For Under $275!

Hi well there is this paintball shop down the road that is in need of employees so I went down and they said I need to know how to fix almost every gun on the market. So I wanted to know if maybe there is an article I could read on the internet to learn about everything so I could work with my favorite hobby? =D

That will take years of practice unortunately. You can start reading every gun manual and check the manufacturer forums on PBN for good threads that show things like full disassembly and troubleshooting guides.

If they aren't brushing you off then you'll need factory certification (if they do warranty work for manufacturers) check out the paintball training institute(PTI). They offer real and online classes. You can also get tech classes at major tourneys and at Paintball Extravaganza.

Edited by Yankee Paintball, 25 March 2013 - 01:49 PM.

"That blew so hard all my old Nintendo games started working again."~Dstyles75

Ok I'm gonna start making videos like Mike and do reviews and games with them!

The videos aren't even the important part, just get some experience taking apart markers and when someone's gun goes down at the field go think through what could be causing the problem. Its a lot like working on an engine, try different things to diagnose the problem.

Here's a quick example. Say your gun stops shooting. You look at your board LED and it shows that there isnt any paint in the breach, which you know is not true. So you take off the loader and stick your finger down to break the beam of the eyes. The gun still doesn't show that there's something in the breach. Because of this you can assume that there is a problem with the eyes or something closely related to them. Its a combination of process of elimination and using logic. And really the only way you can do this process for every marker out there is by taking tech classes or being experienced with working on them.

Thanks but one question, How did you get the title Member on your account on TechPB?

Either post count or length of time as a member, IDK which determines it, maybe both?

Alright because i have been helping people all day with their paintball needs and I want to be a highly ranked person so i can help on this forum and be a main member...

Experience is everything. The forums may be able to help a bit for some background info, but your skills will be learned through practice. Making mistakes that you (hopefully) wont make again. Most techs replace every o-ring there is on a marker if there is any leak. That i bad practice, and with a little inquiry you can pinpoint the source to just one seal. This is what separates the men from the boys.

Having extensie experience with Spyders, tippmans and gog markers, you always have to start with the basics. Using a carbon zinc battery, although cheap, does not have enough power to cycle emarker solenoids. Customers (or bad techs at the store) may mistake this for a multitude of problems like dwell settings, leaks, reg issues, or my favorite "a broken board/solenoid". If you make a mistake and diagnose wrong you are charging the customer more money than they need to spend, which = not a happy customer. Additionally if you mess up and wreck the anno or wear and tear from incorrect servicing, you will create more problems which = unsatisfied customer.

Point is, you will need a lot more experience if you want to be hired. I would do an apprenticeship or internship first and take it from there. Because you do not want to be responsible for costing the customer or the company for damaging things when you are inexperienced.

Alright because i have been helping people all day with their paintball needs and I want to be a highly ranked person so i can help on this forum and be a main member...

Experience is everything. The forums may be able to help a bit for some background info, but your skills will be learned through practice. Making mistakes that you (hopefully) wont make again. Most techs replace every o-ring there is on a marker if there is any leak. That i bad practice, and with a little inquiry you can pinpoint the source to just one seal. This is what separates the men from the boys.

Having extensie experience with Spyders, tippmans and gog markers, you always have to start with the basics. Using a carbon zinc battery, although cheap, does Or have enough power to cycle emarker solenoids. Customers (or bad techs at the store) may mistake this for a multitude of problems like dwell settings, leaks, reg issues, or my favorite "a broken board/solenoid". If you make a mistake and diagnose wrong you are charging the customer more money than they need to spend, which = not a happy customer. Additionally if you mess up and wreck the anno or wear and tear from incorrect servicing, you will create more problems which = unsatisfied customer.

Point is, you will need a lot more experience if you want to be hired. I would do an apprenticeship or internship first and take it from there. Because you do not want to be responsible for costing the customer or the company for damaging things when you are inexperienced.

This. The first thing I do whenever I get a new gun is rip it apart and see how it works. Start with the low end guns most new players will start with. Most of them are minor, easy fixes that get them back on the field and playing, that's important to the field and the player. Ask to help them clean and repair their rentals, it's a tedious task that most don't enjoy doing but you can learn a lot about those particular guns in a hurry. Buy cheap spiders and such off craigslist so you can rip them apart for practice.

Edit- the user title ks automatic. It may be user changeable I just don't know if its a Players Club thing or if it goes by an amout r of posts.

Edited by Yankee Paintball, 26 March 2013 - 09:55 AM.

"That blew so hard all my old Nintendo games started working again."~Dstyles75

Good luck its not going to happen over night or anytime soon but I guess if you are determined that it'll happen eventually. as for making reviews on markers, since you are 13 years old or at least that's what it says on your profile. I doubt unless your mom and dad are rich and don't care to spend thousands of dollars on markers for you to review that you'll be able to review anything but low end which most people want to see not only budget guns but the more expensive toys as well. now that isn't to discourage you because there is nothing wrong with reviewing low end guns. I'm only trying to show you the reality of it.

As for how mike gets most of these markers, he gets them from the companies themselves as a loaner gun to have mike review them, he doesn't get to keep them generally speaking. I'm sure if he loves a marker so much that he had to have it, he could probably work something out with them but that's besides the point. He only is given this opportunity because he has built TechPB from the ground up along with help and these companies know who he is. So again not to discourage you but at 13 with knowing very little about teching guns and the hurdles for you to review a lot of markers that's a very big stretch to do so.

As said before, it's practice practice practice. You need hands on experience with a ton of markers. As for the member title thing, if you have over 50 posts you can change it to whatever you want. Or you can leave it and let it use the stock levels.

i kinda learned how to become a gun tech by watching videos mainly. Before even touching a gun you want to know the name of every single part and you also want to know it's function. When I get bored I sometimes read manuals. When you do, look mainly for the exploded view and the troubleshooting guide. The first gun that I took apart was a spyder and I ruined it because I did not know how to put it back together. But always keep this in mind: Never take apart a gun without actually knowing everything about it's internals.

Paintball guns are nothing but very simple pnuematic systems. Even on the most high end $1600 gun there are only a few basic components. Air supply, couple regulators, a solenoid valve, a mechanical valve, an air cylinder, a switch, a circuit board, and a sensor. They all work pretty much the same way too, with a few notable exceptions. If you want to do this then learn what pneumatics are, how those components work, and how they work together.

Once you understand that, you'll have the basis to troubleshoot any gun produced and fix it.

Read the manuals of the guns!!! It's the second best way to learn. The best way is to actually have experience. See if they would allow you to take a free apprenticeship with them so they can teach you. One day if you get good they may consider hiring you.